Well it's been a minute since I've been on these here forums, but I've just been working on my Mustang which had the infamous spark plug shoot out of the head, so I'm getting my lesson in timing on a SOHC.

But onto the Grand Am. It's not running. At least not for very long. I'm just a tad under 190k on the clock and I'd really like to get this focker to 200k before I throw in the towel on it. Before I go any further I should mention that I may possibly have a lead on a 3.5 with no acc with 46k for $300...

Now then, let's start with the codes. Then we'll go to what it's doing

P0113
P0401
P0442
P1404
P1441
P0300

To go on and list what all the codes mean would take me forever lol. I had a friend run them on his Alldata since mine expired and I have all the definitions of the codes, so at some point I'll go through each one and see if I can figure something out.

As it sits, it's doing just that. Sitting. Last week I got in it to come home from work and it started funky, then jumped up to 1200rpms. Which was way higher than it should be, cold or not, which it was cold as TITS. But I continued home and within turning out of the parking lot I noticed it felt as tho the brakes were partially engaged. So I figured when I got home I'd feel the wheels and make sure they weren't on fire. Didn't have to. The second I let off the gas the rpm's dropped like a bomb down to >400. I knew right then and there it was gonna be a looooong rough ride home, as I've delt with this thing shutting off on me before. It died twice on me, second time it barely started. Had to drive it home braking with my left foot, popping it in N, and keeping my right foot on the gas.

Got it limped home and into my driveway and called it a night. Went out the next day to see what the F is going on with it and I turn it on and it run's a little like it should, then it starts warming up and the rpms start to drop. Then it starts pulsing between 500-1000 if I had to guess. Then the warmer it got the pulse rpm would drop. Then eventually it would get warm enough and it would pulse once or twice and die if I didn't give it some gas.

Got a rotten egg smell coming from the exhaust, which someone else told me could possibly be a clogged cat, which at 189k I wouldn't be terribly surprised.

The codes are mostly EVAP codes for anyone who doesn't have a way to run them. And if I'm not mistaken all signs are pointing to EGR valve. Which I'm running a 00+ EGR valve on my 99, and I got the EGR from the local JY so I wouldn't be surprised if it decided to die too. But I swear at one point I had my old EGR die and didn't have these issues...

Also I'm leaking pretty badly on the passenger side, what I believe is oil. I'll try to get it jacked up in the rain tomorrow (f'n Mustang is all ripped apart in the garage..) and see if it IS in fact oil. I think it is tho because the whole back of the block is just covered in it. As well as my sub-frame.. And half of my suspension.. I'm a quart low too. The leak is getting worse the more I drive it which is just wonderful. Kinda glad I'm not driving it now.

And then you have my tranny which slips if I hammer it. I have since stopped hammering it. And half of my suspension needs replacing, if not all of it. The body underneath is far from clean, and I've got a hole on the inside door sill on the driver side and on the same line, there's a hole in the rear fenderwell. The body is dinged and dented but not as much of an eye sore as you would think, some how the black is hiding it's bad condition well.. Which is not at all normal for black lol. But I have NO money for another car, I mean I can get a $2k beater in a few weeks, but is it even worth a whole new list of headaches?

So where the hell do I begin? Should I say screw this thing and rip it out and throw in the 3.5? If so, I'm a bit of a noob with the 3.5's I'd need a write up link :) As of now I'm stuck in my old Camaro, which with winter here, the first snowfall could be the last if I'm not careful. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

sleepyalero

12-18-2012, 03:53 AM

Hey my buddy had the v6 f150 and it shot the plug out too funny as hell!

Sorry it happened to you.

The oil leaking, sounds like you either have an oil pan gasket leak or a valve cover gasket leaking.

KillNThrill24

12-18-2012, 07:04 PM

Thanks man I was kinda thinking the same the more I thought about it. I did some quick checking and the valve cover gasket does seem to have some oily residue on it, maybe if I get this thing running again I'll throw some new ones on and see what happens.

As for it running, well I just replaced the EGR and not at all to my surprise it did nothing. Maybe I'll clear the codes on my AutoEnginuity and try it again. It's so odd that it runs fine when cold, well sits at about a grand but nothing crazy, then when it starts warming up it starts pulsing and dies..

And yeah it's gonna run me about $6-700 to get my Mustang back on the road because it needs new timing chains, guides, gears, and all the gaskets. The chains guides and gears are the super spensive part. The gaskets are another $2-300. Then if I want to throw my supercharger on it's gonna be another $3-4k. YAY!

So I'm in between a rock and a hard place right now. Time keeps ticking and I keep losing patience with this thing. It's been a long 5yrs, I'd hate to see it go like this.

KillNThrill24

12-19-2012, 01:39 AM

Hmmm after consulting my good friend who is a mechanic and also changing the EGR and clearing the codes, then re running my Auto Enginuity, I got rid of all of the EGR codes, for now. And also the intake voltage code. Now I still have the random misfire code, as well as I gained a running lean on bank 1 code... Which after checking current voltage I think I've figured out all this BS is being caused by a dead o2. I can't remember if I replaced the one on my downpipe, but the one behind the cat was replaced. So I'm gonna pick up an o2 at some point and get it in. Then clear codes again, and rescan, again. And hope I got it all figured out!